The article never said if they were late or anything else. Are these AR payments they decided to sit on for 10 years, or did they just re-bill everyone? Something tells me an amateur journalist is trying to stir up controversy.

jaylectricity:I tried that once. I had never claimed my work truck as a business expense on my personal taxes. After 3 years I realized that I could do that. So I tried to deduct all three years at once.

jaylectricity:I tried that once. I had never claimed my work truck as a business expense on my personal taxes. After 3 years I realized that I could do that. So I tried to deduct all three years at once.

That's when the IRS entered my life.

No surprise, you were in the wrong.

To fix it you have to amend the two previous years, not simply claim it all now.

sethen320:The article never said if they were late or anything else. Are these AR payments they decided to sit on for 10 years, or did they just re-bill everyone? Something tells me an amateur journalist is trying to stir up controversy.

I think it's pretty clear--they sent out bills for all delinquent garbage bills.

sethen320:The article never said if they were late or anything else. Are these AR payments they decided to sit on for 10 years, or did they just re-bill everyone? Something tells me an amateur journalist is trying to stir up controversy.

Loren:jaylectricity: I tried that once. I had never claimed my work truck as a business expense on my personal taxes. After 3 years I realized that I could do that. So I tried to deduct all three years at once.

That's when the IRS entered my life.

No surprise, you were in the wrong.

To fix it you have to amend the two previous years, not simply claim it all now.

sethen320: The article never said if they were late or anything else. Are these AR payments they decided to sit on for 10 years, or did they just re-bill everyone? Something tells me an amateur journalist is trying to stir up controversy.

I think it's pretty clear--they sent out bills for all delinquent garbage bills.

I once got a bill for long distance calls that spanned over eight months. In the fall. During college. So it covered two temp. roommates that I had during the summer and two other roommates that moved out or were on co-cop. Eventually got all the money expect from one person, who was a douchebag.

jaylectricity:I tried that once. I had never claimed my work truck as a business expense on my personal taxes. After 3 years I realized that I could do that. So I tried to deduct all three years at once.

Satanic_Hamster:I once got a bill for long distance calls that spanned over eight months. In the fall. During college. So it covered two temp. roommates that I had during the summer and two other roommates that moved out or were on co-cop. Eventually got all the money expect from one person, who was a douchebag.

Can't imagine getting an utility bill that's a decade old.

You trolling? Nah, doesn't look like it...

I can imagine the conversation between you and the roomies was a bit heated. They give you any flack?

I got into a tangle with the IRS over some unreported trades about 7 years ago. Bottom line is I was a dumbass and thought that if i took a net loss (because I was REALLY bad at trading then) I don't have to even report the transactions on my taxes. Yeah, that's not true. It took a lot of my time to straighten that out but I still have my "free and clear" letter that I was told to hold on to in the event they come after me again. I guess I'm winning, yet I still lost (money). It was a learning experience anyway.

I can imagine the conversation between you and the roomies was a bit heated. They give you any flack?

Two paid without question, one paid but took a few weeks (nice guy but a bit of a putz). Last one, Chris Welch, welched on the entire thing. Made threats, went into this bizarre rant on how I was such a dick for leaving notes for his share of utilities (all utilities were in my name, we'd split everything 3 ways down the middle, except long distance phone charges; I'd leave a note on roommates desks w/ the full breakdown of thier share for that month. apparently Chris leaving a note this was way the greatest insult ever), refused to pay.

Thing was, it was only like eight bucks. He didn't even accuse me of lying about the bill (I was apologetic when I sent out the emails, explained what the phone company had done, gave a list of all the times/dates/calls made, etc). Didn't even dispute any of the charges; just claimed I was an asshole for leaving the detailed notes during the summer so he wasn't going to pay.

Not enough money to persue in court, not enough to risk legal charges over beating the stupid out of him or just shooting him, just ate it.

I can imagine those were some fairly uncomfortable emails to write. I certainly wouldn't want to do it, but fair's fair. If you're fronting the cash for a service there's certainly nothing wrong with keeping track of the usage by people who are using it.

I've been kicked a few times on fronting for friends. At this point if anyone asks me if they can "borrow" money I just give it to them if it's a reasonable amount because collection isn't worth it. Hell, I gave my last car (I had already bought a new one) to a buddy because he swore he would make payments. After the 2nd one it was obvious he was done. In the interest of saving our friendship I let him have the title for his birthday, but I learned to NEVER make that mistake again.

You win some, you lose some. It sounds like you did what you could and didn't get burned too bad. You still talk to any of them?

hlehmann:FTA: The city says anyone who can produce a receipt or canceled check for the fees will have their payment certified as paid.

So you're supposed to prove that you paid a ten year old bill, but the city doesn't need to prove that you actually owed them that money to begin with?

Just wondering if they wind up billing an attorney, that happens to have his receipt(s), if he will wind up taking a trip to city hall and filing any charges. Not heavy into law, but I am doubting that making up fictitious bills (which they would be if the person had proof they were paid) and sending them out, mistake or not, can be legal by any means.

ProfessorOhki:Scranton last week sent out 7,800 garbage bills dating from 1999 through last year - prompting a crush of residents to descend on the treasurer's office Tuesday to either pay up or complain.

So they either paid (win for the city) or complained (neutral for the city). The logic is ridiculous, but save a lawsuit, how can the city lose?

Yeah, this sounds a bit shady, but once again...the reporting sucks. There is a very minimal amount of information in those few paragraphs. I've seen longer book reports.

Knowing what I know about the history of garbage collection in that city, the residents who did not pay the bills still got what they paid for. They have had some notorious strikes and lapses in service in that trashy city.

Not enough money to persue in court, not enough to risk legal charges over beating the stupid out of him or just shooting him, just ate it.

Heh, you're lucky it was only eight bucks. I got stiffed on a ONE MONTH phone bill by a roommate for over three hundred dollars.

He was in a custodial rehab program when I got the bill. He was a nice guy, but he went off the deep end from drinking. I guess he was suffering from DTs when he was at work because he couldn't drink. While he was in the process of going off the deep end, he was calling his sister in New York (from CA) almost every night and talking for hours.

He and I had completely opposite schedules. When I was home, he was at work, and vice versa, so I never saw him. I was pretty young then, I don't know that I'd have recognized what was going on anyway. I guess I should have realized that the absence of evidence he was eating food, and the presence of evidence he was drinking a lot of beer might be a good indication something might be amiss. Live and learn.

I never saw or heard from him again. I felt sorry for him. You still around Larry? Are you a FARKER?

jaylectricity:I tried that once. I had never claimed my work truck as a business expense on my personal taxes. After 3 years I realized that I could do that. So I tried to deduct all three years at once.

My wife thinks I'm kinda different for insisting on printed bills from the utilities, and printing off the online statement of account every month after they get the electronic payment from my bank (always push payments, never ever let them pull). This is pretty much why, but even I only keep those records for the past 2 years, not 10.

My tax CSB: I got a bill in the mail this past May from the state of Misery, claiming I owed them $2500 in taxes, $1700 or so in penalties and $500 and change in interest from 2009. Problem was I had moved out of Missouri in 2007, and hadn't been there for more than a week since then. They even sent the bill to the address I had moved to back then (HI) which got bounced back to them, they found my new address (NM) and put the notice in a new envelope and mailed it down here.It took a little doing, but I was able to dig up enough records to prove to them that I had not lived there and did not owe them squat. Got that "free and clear" letter a couple of weeks ago, finally.

Never underestimate a government agency that even thinks they might be able to get money from you, especially when revenues are down.

buzzcut73:My tax CSB: I got a bill in the mail this past May from the state of Misery, claiming I owed them $2500 in taxes, $1700 or so in penalties and $500 and change in interest from 2009. Problem was I had moved out of Missouri in 2007, and hadn't been there for more than a week since then. They even sent the bill to the address I had moved to back then (HI) which got bounced back to them, they found my new address (NM) and put the notice in a new envelope and mailed it down here.

I got the opposite - I moved in 2009, and then a year and a half later got a bill for taxes in my new home for 2007 and 2008. farkers.

So do I: inefficient politicians and bureaucrats are trying to make up for their ineptitude by penalizing the populace. But the city is a business like any other, so if they can't manage their business they should go out of business or maybe sell the city to a private-sector business that can run it efficiently.

Of course if they don't want to go that far they can sell naming rights like stadiums do. Depending on the corporation they might be Trump Scranton, or they might have to become Donald Trump City.

Or they could sell the city's properties and services piecemeal: the mayor's office could be in YUM Brands Hall and the city could be served by the Ronald McDonald Fire Department.

If they sell the entire city itself I suggest Berkshire Hathaway, wich has a good record; then they could rename the city to Buffettville, which won't look so odd on the map.

Or they could turn the town into a theme park and make money from tourists. The city employee's uniform could be patterned after one of Michael Jackson's get-ups and the Mayor could greet everybody wearing a ten-gallon Stetson and assless chaps.

I can imagine those were some fairly uncomfortable emails to write. I certainly wouldn't want to do it, but fair's fair. If you're fronting the cash for a service there's certainly nothing wrong with keeping track of the usage by people who are using it.

I've been kicked a few times on fronting for friends. At this point if anyone asks me if they can "borrow" money I just give it to them if it's a reasonable amount because collection isn't worth it. Hell, I gave my last car (I had already bought a new one) to a buddy because he swore he would make payments. After the 2nd one it was obvious he was done. In the interest of saving our friendship I let him have the title for his birthday, but I learned to NEVER make that mistake again.

You win some, you lose some. It sounds like you did what you could and didn't get burned too bad. You still talk to any of them?

I also live by the "never lend any amount of money unless you're cool with not seeing it again" tenet. Don't get me wrong, I asked to be paid back, but it's not worth ruining friendships over. If it's too much or I don't trust the person I just say no.

BoxOfBees:Knowing what I know about the history of garbage collection in that city, the residents who did not pay the bills still got what they paid for. They have had some notorious strikes and lapses in service in that trashy city.